


Ruby Red

by KillerSadisfaction



Series: Love Is Timeless [1]
Category: Bandom, Cobra Starship, Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, F/M, Fluff, Genderbending, Historical, M/M, Modern Era, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-20
Updated: 2018-01-23
Packaged: 2018-12-21 10:17:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11942031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KillerSadisfaction/pseuds/KillerSadisfaction
Summary: Sometimes it's hard to live with a family full of secrets. Well, at least 16 years old Frank Iero is certain about that, until she found herself in the 18th century and realizes what is the biggest secret of her family. After that how hard things can get...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> It is a book/series translation (well, kind of :D) originally called 'Liebe Geht Durch Alle Zeiten'.  
> And this is all fictional, duh.
> 
>  
> 
> #loveistimeless  
> #rubyred

_Hydra Park, Londra_

_8 April 1912_

 

_The young girl kneeled down and started to cry, at the meantime he cautiously looked around. As he predicted nobody was around this early in the morning. Jogging wasn't a thing yet and it was too cold even for homeless people to sleeep._

_He wrapped the chronograph in a cloth and put it in his backpack._

_The young girl sat next to one of the trees. She was shaking and looking like a wounded animal. His heart was aching because of her soft cries but he knew it was better to leave her alone when she was like that. That's why he just sat her side and waited._

_Waited for the pain to stop, a pain that will never le_ _ave them._

_He was feeling sad too but he was trying to not to show. He didn't want to worry her more._

_She turned her red face to him. ''Tissue papers are not invented yet, are they?''_

_''I don't know, but i have a handkerchief_ _that my initials embroidered .'_

_''L.I.? Did you steal this from Linda?''_

_''She gave it to me. You can blow your nose as you wish, Princess.''_

_She gave the handkerchief back with a slight smirk ''Sorry, it's kinda ruined.''_

_''Oh come on, now we have no choice other than wash and dry it!'' He smiled ''It's okay. Now, stop crying.''_

_Her eyes filled with tears again ''We shouldn't leave her behind in this kind of situation. She needs us. We don't know if this bluffing thing is going to work or not and now will never get the chance to know.''_

_His heart ached  again with this words ''If we died, we would be less useful.''_

_''I wish we went to a different country with her....with fake IDs and stuff.... at least until she grows...''_

_He shook his head and interrupted her ''They would find us everywhere, we talked this before hundreds of times. We didn't put her in danger, we did the right thing. She has a safe life know, well for the next 16 years.''_

_She was quite for a while._

_''I know, you are right. I am just hurt because we will never see her again.'' She said while rubbing her eyes.''Well, at least we don't have to figure things out about her being here because you know sooner or later they send their guardians to catch us. He wouldn't give up without a fight.''_

_He laughed beacuse her eyes began to shine again with this adventurous feelings. He exhaled briefly, that meant she was okay for now._

   _"Maybe we  actually tricked them or maybe the other thing can't work like they think. Then he can't do anything."_

_"Well it would be nice and that means we were the only hope to destroy his plans."_

_"And that's why we did the right thing."He stood up and look down his jeans "Come on, this damn grass is wet." He took her hands to help her, then kissed them gently._

_"What we are gonna do now? Where we are supposed to hide the chronograph?" she asked and looked around._

_"Okay first, we are gonna steal some money from the storage of guards. Then we are gonna go south. The Titanic is gonna be its first trip on wednesday."_

_She laughed. "Oh, that's how you being careful, huh? I'm in."_

 

_He was so happy to make her laugh he could not help to kiss her again. "Well... You know captains can marry people on the high seas...."_

_"So you wanna marry me, while we are on the Titanic. Are you crazy?"_

_"But that would be romantic!"_

_"Yeah, tell that the iceberg." She cuddled him. "I just love you so much..."_

_"Do you wanna be my wife?"_

_"Yes."she said still cuddling._

_"Are you ready for our next adventure?"_

_"Only if you are..." she said._


	2. Chapter 2

*******

 

**An uncontrolled time travel usually manifests itself with a headache, uncontrollable shaking and nausea, just a few minutes, sometimes hours, even days before. Many of the Gene Carriers mentioned heavy migraine attacks. The Gene Carrier will jump for the first time at age 16 or 17.**

 

_Guard's Journal_

_Vol. 2_

 

*******

 

First time I realized it it was lunch time. Suddenly I felt a strange feeling in my stomache like I was on a rollercoaster. It took just two seconds but it was enough to fly my lunch to my uniform. While I was trying to clean the mess, Pete said "It tastes like crap anyway". Of course everybody was looking at me. "You can dump my lunch to my shirth too if you want."

"No, but thanks" I said. School uniforms disgusting color was hiding the stains but I butttoned up my jacket just incase.

"Aw, little Frankie plays with her food again." said Cynthia "Don't sit my side, you clumsy."

"Oh, but i was dying to sit with you, Cyn. Such a shame." Unfortunately this kind of accidents happened to me a lot. But this was the first time I felt dizzy like that. Or maybe it's nothing because it was a populer topic to talk about at my home.

But the topic was not about my dizziness, no. It was about my _always perfect_ cousin Charlotte. My whole family was waiting for Charlotte to feel dizzy. Lady Arista, my grandmother, somedays was asking about it in every 10 minutes. Of course Charlotte's mother aunt Glenda was not better than her. 

Everytime they hear a " _no"_ from her Lady Arista was biting her lips and aunt Glenda was inhaling sharply. Sometimes the other way around.

We, the others; my mother, my sister Caroline, my brother Nick and my grand aunt Maddy, were all rolling our eyes. Obviously it was exciting that we have a time traveller gene in our family but we all lost our interests long time ago. The theater that was going on around Charlotte was too overwhelming. 

Charlotte is a classic Mona Lisa about this topic. If I was her, I wouldn't know to laugh or cry or both. I get scared too easily and love to be cozy and comfortable.

Lady Arista everyday said "It will happen sooner or later. We should be prepeared for that moment."

After lunch, it was time for history class with Mr. Saporta and I was hungry. 

Mr. Saporta gave our history exams back to look at our grades "Well, you all studied good apperantly. Especially you Charlotte, A+."

"Oh" said Charlotte with no suprise on her face. She always gets the greatest grades.

Pete and I could be happy about our grades too. Our   _"study session"_ meant watching the movie Elizabeth and eating popcorn. We both get A-. We always listen this lessons carefully but I can't say the same thing about other lessons.

Mr. Saporta's lessons were so interesting, you can't help it but listen.

Mr. Saporta was also so interesting himself. All of the girls in the school were secretly in love with him. Even our geography teacher Mrs. Counter. Her face always red when Mr. Saporta walk near her. Well, he was handsome and charming. But Pete was opposed to that opinion. He claimed that Mr. Saporta looked like a cartoon squirrel. " Everytime he looks with his big brown eyes I wanna give him some nuts." he said. He even calls to the squirrels at the park "Hey, Mr. Saporta, look here!". And now I can't unsee that.

Cynthia kept talking about a rumor how Mr. Saporta was a model when he was younger. Her proof was a picture of a man looks like him in a shower gel commercial. Nobody actually believed her because the man had a dimple but she was determined. 

All the boys hated him. Especially Gormon because he was the most populer guy in the school before Mr. Saporta working our school. Everybody was in love with Gormon, sadly me too. But I was 11 at that time and Gordon was cute. Now he's just pure stupid and all the hormons and shit in his body effects his voice very badly.

Gordon was angry because he got F. "Mr. Saporta, it's not fair. I deserved a least a B. You can't give me this grade because I am a boy." 

Mr. Saporta took the exam from Gordon's hand and read "Elizabeth I couldn't find a man because she was so ugly. That why everybody calles her the virgin queen."

Everybody laughed.

"So what? It is true. Huge eyes, sullen face, an ugly hairstyle..."

"Elizabeth called herself the virgin queen. Because... Are you okay Charlotte? A headache?"

Everybody looked at Charlotte. She was holding her head.

"I'm just dizzy. Everything looks blurry."

I took a deep breath. Okay, it is the time. My grandma and aunt will go crazy, oh boy.

"Oh my, it's great!" Pete whispered. "Is she gonna go all transparent now?" Lady Arista always warned us about to talk this topic with nobody but Pete was my best friend for years and I can't hide anything from him. 

For the first time I have known Charlotte, she look so desperate. But I know what I was supposed to do. Aunt Glenda told me many times. 

I stand up and said "I can take Charlotte to home."

Mr. Saporta still was looking at Charlotte "I think that is a good idea Frank. Get well soon Charlotte."

"Thanks." she said. She slowly walk to the door. " Are you coming Frankie?"

I hurried and hold her arm. I felt important. I like to feel that she needed me.

Pete signaled  _"call me."_

When we get out of the classroom, Charlotte gets back the usual self. He will walk to her locker.

I hold the arm tightly. "Leave your things in the locker , we should go home, Lady Arista said ..."

"It stoped."

"Is it important, it can happen again, where is the chalk?" I searched my pockets. "Ah, there it is! And my phone, do I need to call home?" "Are you scared? No, nevermind it was a silly question, sorry. I'm nervous," I said.

"It's okay, I'm not afraid."

I didn't know if she was telling the truth. She was doing that Mona Lisa  again.

"Do you want me to call home?"

"It will change nothing."

"Yeah, I just thought..."

"Don't think Frank, please...."

We walk around the niche where James always sits. He stud up when he saw us and I just smiled at him. The problem with James is only I see him. He is a ghost. I was avoiding to talk to him when people around. Except Pete. He didn't hesitate to believe me. In fact he was sad because he couldn't see James but I was okay with that because James didn't like Pete that much. Pete was too energetic for James. Pete was always asking questions. "Ask James if he did hide a treasure. Does he transparent or black and white?" He actually looked normal. Well, except his clothes. 

"Can you walk through him?"

"I don't know. I didn't try."

"Oh you should."

James did not allow me to do that." A ghost? What's that supposed to mean! I am James August Peregrin Pimplebottom! Nobody can insult me like that, not even little girls!"

Like lots of ghost, he didn't accept the fact he was dead. He couldn't remember that he died.

The first day I started the highschool I met him. Since then I got tall, took out my retainers and my boobs got bigger but he didn't care. He's fathers mansion is a school now with all electricity and water pipes. He just complained about our uniforms skirt length. I suppose in his time women didn't wear skirts like that, I don't know what time his coming from.

"A lady always ought to greet a noble man when she sees him, Mrs. Frank." 

"Sorry, we are in hurry."

"If anything I can help, I am ready to serve you." James said.

"No, but thank you. We should go home." I said like he could help us. He couldn't even held a door open. "Charlotte doesn't feel good."

James adored Charlotte "Oh please do tell her i feel so sorry for her." he said. "Please tell her she looks stunning no matter what like a beautiful angel."

"Yeah, sure I will..."

"Stop talking with your imaginary friend or people will put you in a mental hospital someday." Charlotte said.

"James is not imaginary, just invisible to you. These are two different things!"

"Sure, if you say so."

 Charlotte and aunt Glenda thought I was making the ghosts up for attention. I was regreting telling them. When I was kid, it was hard to not talking about all those creepy gargoyles. They were funny but they all had different personalities hard to predict. It took me a few years to learn that ghosts were not dangerous. They just scare people and that's it. James is totally harmless though.

I wasn't sure if James could hear us but I said "Pete thinks that James probably died when he was young. He says James couldn't get married with a surname like Pimplebottom anyway."

Charlotte just rolled her eyes.

"He is a good person and good looking actually" I continued "And he says he was very rich." 

"Such a shame just you liked him." said Charlotte.

Well, I agreed.

"And it is so stupid of you to talk about your weirdness with people."

"I'm not weird!"

"Of course you are."

"What about you Miss Gene Carrier!"

"I don't talk about it with random people. You just like grand aunt Maddy. She  _always_ talks about her freakish visions."

"You're rude."

"And you are too naive."

We continued our argument while walking out of school. It was windy and cloudy outside like it was about to rain. I regret we didn't get our stuff in our locker. I could use a coat now.

"I understand." I said quickly. She had to realize that I accept her apology. Of course I didn't understand. I was already thrilled but it was like a going to dentist thrill to me. " Anyway, I like grand aunt Maddy." It was true. She was a little talkative and said everything at least four times but she was way better than the other madness going on in our home. And she always give us delicious lemon candies.

Charlotte wasn't interested in candies anymore.

We kept walking along the street.

"Stop looking at me like that. Don't worry, you will notice if I suddenly disappear. Then you can use the stupid chalk to mark the spot and run home. But it's not gonna happen today. Not today."

"You can't know that. Don't you wonder where will you go? I mean, what time?"

"Of course I do."

"I hope you will not go in the middle of that fire in 1664."

"The Greate Fire of London was in 1666." Charlotte said. "That's basic history. Plus this side of the city wasn't build in that date. Which means there wasn't a fire in here."

Did I say how how fucking annoying Charlotte is?

I didn't give up though. Maybe it was very cruel of me but I just wanted to wipe her smile of off her face. "These uniforms would burn so easily..."

"I would know what to do in a situation like that." said Charlotte quickly.

I couldn't help but admire her calm attitue. The whole thing was just terrifying to me. The wars, the illnesses, no rights for women, instead of toilets there was pits and everybody was infested with lice...

Charlotte was trained for all of these for her whole life. She had never played games, gone shopping with her friends or had boyfriends. Instead of she took dance, fencing, riding, languages and histories classes. Since last year every wednesday afternoons she, Lady Arista and aunt Glenda went outside and came home very late at night. They called it  _"mistery class"._ Nobody said anything about what kind of mistery was that, especially Charlotte. She always said "It is a secret." or "None of your business." 

Pete always said how my family had more secrets than the government. Maybe he is right.

We usually took the bus after school but today we walked, aunt Glenda's orders. I hold the chalk in my hand but Charlotte didn't go anywhere. I was disappointed when we came to front door. It was end of my job. After that responsibility was Lady Arista's.

I took Charlotte's arm "Look! It's the Shadow Man again."

"So what?" she said, didn't even look at him. The man was standing in front of the house number 18. Like always he was wearing a black coat and a black hat. I though he was a ghost at first but then my brother, my sister and Pete noticed him too.

He was spying our home for months now. Or maybe several men that wearing exact same clothes. We argued about if he was a theif, a private detective or an evil wizard. My sister Caroline was sure about the last one. She was 9 and she liked stories about good fairies and bad witches. My brother Nick was 12 and thought fairies were stupid. The theif theory was his. Private detective one was mine and Pete's.

The Shadow Man always disappeared in the house or rode with his black car when we get close to him. 

"It is a magic car!" Caroline claimed "When nobody is looking it turns into a crow and the wizard turns into a little man and flies away!"

Nick took the license plate number just incase "After robbery, he would probably change the color of the car and the license number."

 The adults of our home wasn't even interested with the fact that there is a man watching us 24/7.

Charlotte too. "Leave the poor man alone! He just smoking a cigarette, that's all."

"Yeah, sure!" I'd rather to believe Caroline's crow theory.

It's started to rain.

While waiting the door to be answered I asked "Are you feeling dizzy again?" We didn't have keys.

"Stop being so on the edge. When it happens, it happens." 

Mr. Bernhard opened the door as always. For Pete's point of view Mr. Bernhard was our butler and it was the proof that we were as rich as Madonna. I didn't know exactly who was Mr. Bernhard. For my mother he was Lady Arista's servant, for Lady Arista he was a old family friend of ours. Me and my siblings just though how misterious he was. 

Mr. Bernhard suprised to see us.

"Hello, Mr. Bernhard. What a terrible weather, isn't it?" I said.

"Definitely terrible." he said while looking us behind his round framed glasses like a night owl "It requires to wear a coat." 

"Uh, yeah. It does."

"Where is Lady Arista?" Charlotte asked. She wasn't very kind towards Mr. Bernhard. Unlike me and my siblings, she had never respected him.

By the way, Mr. Bernhard was tend to appear all around the house when you least expected. He was quite like a cat. He saw and knew anything and everthing, always ready to service.

My mother said he was at home when she was a little girl, too. He was probably at the same age with Lady Arista. He has his own little place at the second floor in our house that connected the first floor with seperate stairs and hall. We were banned to use it.

Nick claimed that Mr. Bernhard had secrets doors and traps for unwanted people but he couldn't prove it yet. We were not brave enough.

"Mr. Bernhard deserves to have his own private life." Lady Arista said. And my mom always responded with a whisper "Yeah, we all need that."

"Your grandmother in the music room." Mr. Bernhard said.

"Thanks." Charlotte said walked away from us.

Music room at the first floor and nobody knew why we called that there. The room hadn't have even a piano.

The room was Lady Arista's and grand aunt Maddy's favorite room. It smelled like violets and cigarettes. It was kind of overwhelming.

Mr. Bernhard walked to close the door. I quickly look at the outside. The Shadow Man was still there. 

When the door was locked I didn't even had time to turn to stairs because that rollercoaster like feeling was back. I saw everthing all blurry. My knees went weak, I had to lean on to the wall to stop myself.

It stopped in a second.

My heart was beating like it is going to burst. Something was wrong with me. Nobody had this feeling 2 times in 2 hours if they didn't go on an actual rollercoaster.

Well... No, it doesn't make any sense! I was growing faster, I guess... Or... I don't know. A brain tumour? Or I'm just hungry.

Yeah, that is it. I am hungry. I just had a breakfast today. I took a deep breath and calmed myself.

Mr. Bernhard was watching me with an intense look with his owl like eyes. "Be careful!" he said. It was a too general warning.

I blushed. "I am gonna go... and do homework..." I mumbled.

Mr. Bernhard just shook his head with an unchanged look on his face. But I could feel his eyes on me when I walked to stairs.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos to you!  
> #loveistimeless


	3. Chapter 3

***

 

_Guard's Journal_

_10 October 1994_

**I just came back from Durham. I went there to visit Lord Montrose's  daughter Linda Iero. She gave birth to a little girl. It was an unexpected birth and happened a day ago.**

**Her name is Frank Anthony Iero. She is 2460 gram and 52 cm. We all happy to see her.**

**Mother's and her daughters healths are okay. We celebrate our Great Master's 5th grandchild with all the happiness we have.**

_Report: Thomas George, Inner Circle_

 

***

 

 

Pete always called my home a " _Noble Palace"_ because of all the rooms, paintings and the antique stuff we have. He believed that every wall opened a hidden place and every wardrobe had a secret compartment. When we were little, everytime Pete came to visit me, we would search those hidden places all around the house. Because it was banned to walk around aimlessly in my home, it was more fun to do. We talked about all the clever strategic plans possible before we did it. We did found a couple of hidden things, like the secret door behind the painting of an old, evil looking, fat man riding a horse.

Grand aunt Maddy said that evil looking man was my great great grand uncle Hugh and the horse's name was Fatty Annie. That door opened to a few steps of stairs and directed you to the bathroom. But it was secret, okay.

Pete always said "You are so lucky to live a house like that!"

I found Pete luckier, honestly. Because he, his parents and his fluffy dog Bertie lived in a normal house. Without all the secrets, misterious butlers and annoying relatives. 

We used to live a house like that. My parents, my siblings and me. But that was before my dad died. My sister was six months old at that time and we moved to London to my grandmother's house, here.

My mother grew up in this house with her siblings Glenda and Harry. Uncle Harry was the only member of the family that didn't live in London. 

The house was felt huge at first. But when you have a big family to live with, it feels so crowded. Especially we have unnecessary rooms like the ballroom.

It was a room perfect for skating but it was banned too. The room had high ceilings with enormous windows and glorious chandeliers. We've never had even a simple party in this room.

The only activity that was allowed was Charlotte's dance and fencing lessons. 

We weren't have a pet in the house because Lady Arista didn't like animals and aunt Glenda claimed she is allergic to the animal hair. 

My mom, my siblings and me are staying in third floor, right under the roof, only negative thing about staying here is how far the kitchen is. Especially now when I am hungry. I could grab an apple but eating my mom's cookie stash. 

I eat eleven cookie because I am too afraid that dizziness is gonna start again. I took out my shoes and jacket lay down to the couch.

Today everything was a little weird. Imean weirder than usual.

It's been two hours. I have to wait another two and a half hour to talk everything with Pete. My siblings don't come home before four. My mom always come home at five. I usually liked being alone at home. I could use the bathroom without anyone knocking the door. I could turn music on and sing along without anyone laughing at me. I could watch the TV without hearing a sentence like "But it's my Sponge Bob watching tiiimeee!"

I didn't wanna do any of them today. I didn't even wanna take a nap. The direct opposite, I felt like this couch is a boat that swimming in a river. Like if I close my eyes, it would take me far far away.

To distract myself I stood up and began to walk around the room. This room was our unoffical living room. It was actually was a sewing room but nobody sew a thing. We didn't even have a sewing machine. Instead of that the room had stairs that leads you to the roof. Originally it was made for chimney sweeps but Pete and I choose that place as our favorite. The view was amazing and it was a greate place for talking about our secrets etc. 

It was dangerous of course but nobody had a urge like dancing or something on the roof. The keys that locks the roofs door was hidden in the candy box with the rose patterns. Nobody knew i know that. If they knew i know that would be a disaster. That's why I was always so careful while going there.

I fold the blanked, brushed away the cookie crumbs, and re-arranged the cushions. I even watered the flowers in the room. I looked around the room. This took me just 5 minutes. I missed my family.

I wonder where was Charlotte now. Did she disappear? What if she went to a time that our home didn't exist. Would she fall? Poor Charlotte... Maybe they teached her how to fly in her mistery classes.

Mistery... I went to my mom's room and looked out the window. The Shadow Man still was there. Third floor never felt so high. I tried to calculate the height to keep my mind busy. 

Would a person survive if they fell from 14 metres height? Maybe if they fell into a swamp? Our geography teacher said the whole London was a huge swamp once. It would be a soft fall but the person would drown in that mudy mess.

I swallowed. I was scared. 

I didn't want to be alone anymore, so I went to the music room. It was highly they would send me away to my room because of all the secret talk they need to do.

When I entered the room aunt Maddy was near to window, sitting on her favorite couch. Charlotte was near the other window. She was leaning on the antique and expensive table which we were not even allowed to touch. ( It was a very ugly table. I didn't understand how it was worth that amount of money. It didn't even have a secret drawer. Pete and I checked.) Charlotte's clothes were different now. She was wearing something like nightgown plus bathrobe plus a nun costume. 

"As you can see I am still here." she said.

"That's...good" I said carefully, trying not to stare at her clothes.

Aunt Glenda was walking between two windows and said "It's unbearable.". She was tall and thin like Charlotte. She had shiny curly red hair. My mom had the same hair too and my grandmother. Caroline and Nick had the redhead gene too. Only I had dark and straight hair like my dad.

I used to want red hair. But Pete convinced me that my black hair made a beautiful contrast with my eyes and pale skin. And the crescent shaped birth mark on my temple ( aunt Glenda called it weird banana) was misterious and unique. I did found myself beautiful. Especially after being done with my retainer. Of course I wasn't like Charlotte  _" charming and ravishing"_ as James said. I wish James could see her in this ridiculus clothes.

"Frankie, honey,  do you want lemon candy? Come on, sit and distract me a little. Glenda is annoying me with all this non stop walking." aunt Maddy said.

"You can't understand how it feels to be a mother." aunt Glenda said.

"No. I guess I can't." aunt Maddy said. She was my grandfather's sister. She had blonde curly hair ( usually with a unforgatten hair curler). She was short and a little chubby.

"Where is Lady Arista?"  I asked while eating a lemon candy.

"She is on the phone but she is so quite, you can't hear her. And that was my last box of candy. Do you have time to go and buy a new one honey?" 

"Sure." I said.

When Charlotte changed her position, aunt Glenda suddenly looked at her with worried eyes.

"Charlotte?"

"Nothing is happening." Charlotte said.

Aunt Glenda frowned.

"Isn't it better if she waits on the first floor?" I said.  " Then you wouldn't fall."

"Stop talking about topics you don't know anything about." Charlotte said.

"Seriously, it is the last thing Charlotte needs right now." aunt Glenda said.

I regret coming in this room.

"The Gene Carrier never jumps to the past more than 150 years when it's they first jump." grand aunt said calmly. " This house was build in 1781, Charlotte is safe in music room. She may scare a couple of ladies while they listening music." 

"Oh, in this clothes, definitely." I mumbled quietly. She giggled.

The door opened and Lady Arista came in. She had a serious look and walk, like always. She looked like a ballet teacher, especially with her bun.

" A chauffeur will come soon. De Ways are waiting for us in the sanctuary, so Charlotte can be taken to the chronograph."

I didn't understand anything.

"What if it doesn't happen today?" Charlotte asked.

"Charlotte, today you felt dizzy 3 times." aunt Glenda said.

"It will, sooner or later." Lady Arista said. " Come on, the chauffeur could be here." 

Aunt Glenda hold Charlotte's arm and they went after Lady Arista. When the door was closed, aunt Maddy and I looked each other. 

"Sometimes you feel invisible, right?" she said. " How hard it would be to say goodbye? If they were smart enough, they would ask me about if I had a vision or not."

"Did you?"

"No." she said "Thank God i didn't. I get very hungry after a vision and I am trying to loose weight, honey." 

"Who's De Ways?" I asked.

" A bunch of big-headed snobs, if you ask me. All of them lawyers or banker. In the city they have a special bank called De Way. Our family has an account too."

That wasn't the misterious answer I was looking for.

"What will they do with Charlotte, though?"

"Let's say they have the same problem."

"Which is?" Did they have a strict grandmother and annoying relatives too?

"Time traveller gene. De Ways transfer this gene man to man in family." 

"They have a Charlotte too?"

"Well, Charlotte's boy version. If I don't recall wrong his name was Gerard."

"Is he waiting for the feeling dizzy too?"

"No, he got over with it. He is 2 years older than Charlotte."

"So he's been jumping time to time?"

"You could say that."

I was trying to process all the new information. 

"What is a cho..choromono...thing?"

"Chronograph!" aunt Maddy said while rolling her eyes. "It's a machine that sends the Gene Carrier and only the Gene Carrier to time to time. It's something about blood."

"Is it a  _time machine_?" And works with blood, oh my...

Aunt Maddy just shrugged. "I have no idea how that thing works. I just listen while they were talking. These all top secret honey." 

"And complicated." I said. "How they know Charlotte has the gene? Why she has the Gene but, i don't know, you have not?" 

"It is impossible me having that, Thank God. Montroses always were wierd people but the gene came our family with your grandmother for the first time. Because my brother married to her!" she laughed. She wasn't married. She lived with my grandmother and grandfather and help with the house work since she was young. "Lady Arista's families last Gene Carrier was a lady called Margret Tilney. Your grandmother's grandmother." 

"So Charlotte take the gene from her?"

"No, the gene came from Lucy, the poor girl..."

"Lucy who?"

"Your cousin Lucy. Harry's oldest daughter."

"Oh, that Lucy." My uncle Harry was the oldest sibling. His 3 children were already adults. The youngest one was 28. But I have never seen Lucy. I didn't know a lot of things about her. Nobody talked about her. Ever. She ran away when she was 17 and nobody has seen her again.

"Lucy is a Gene Carrier too, huh."

"Yep." she said. "When she disappeared, it was a disastrous mess. Your grandmother had almost a hearth attack. Horrible scandal." 

"Oh, I can imagine." If Charlotte would do something like that...

"Oh no, no, you can't. All the drama and that kid with the... Frankie take your hand away from your mouth! It's a nasty habit!" 

"Sorry." I didn't realize i was bitting my nails. "I guess I am a little excited. It hard to understand..."

"Yeah, I know." she said. "And I listen this same story when I was 15. And I have a talent for misterious things. All the Montroses love mistery. If you ask me, my brother married with Arista for that reason. She isn't a charming women." She put her hand in the candy box but it was empty.

"Uh, I am an addict."

"I can go and buy a new box now."

"You are my favorite grandchild and you will always be. Give me a kiss and don't forget to wear a coat. It's raining. And do not bite your nails ever again, you hear?"

Because my coat was in my locker, I wore one of my mom's ugly coat. I went outside. The Shadow Man started to smoke at the same time. I just had an urge to wave him, so I did. 

He didn't wave back. Of course he wouldn't.

"Jerk..." I ran to the Oxford Street. The rain was heavy. I wish I had my rain boots on, God. My favorite tree's flowers were hanging down like they were sad. While trying to get near the tree, I jumped over three puddles. I was about to jump over the fourth puddle my legs went weak. The rollercoaster feeling came back and the street went transparent in front of my eyes and disappeared.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It looks like there are some errors in the text (unnecessary underlines in some sentences), but i can not edit them out for some reason. I'm sorry :''''(


	4. Chapter 4

*******

**_Ex hoc momento pendet aeternitas._ **

**(Eternity is in this moment.)**

*******

 

 

When I opened my eyes, an antique car was about to turn the corner of the street. I was kneeling on the sidewalk, shaking with fear.

There was something weird about this street. It looked different then usual. It happened so suddenly.

It wasn't raining anymore. But it was freezing cold and dark outside. Like almost midnight. My favorite tree wasn't its place. In that moment, I wasn't even sure if the tree ever existed.

Another antique car drove away. It was a cream coloured car with big wheels. I looked at the sidewalk. The puddles were gone, traffic signs too. The paving stones were all crooked and bumpy. Street lambs looked different, the yellow light hardly illuminated the house its next. 

I weirded out. I had a terrible feeling but I wasn't ready to accept the idea yet.

I forced myself to regulate my breathing to calm the fuck down. I looked around again, more carefully this time.

Okay, not  _everything_ changed to be honest. The houses looked the same. My mom's favorite pastry shop was gone and I have never seen the house in the corner of the street. 

A man with a black hat and coat walked around me with a suspicious look on his face while looking at me. He didn't stop to say something. I stood up, wiped the hypothetical dust of my clothes. 

The situation was terribly obvious. 

How am I suppose to get any help?

There was a mistake.

I time travelled. I fucking time travelled.

Not Charlotte.  _Me._ There is a huge fucking mistake.

My teeth began to clatter out of my control. 

I can hear Charlotte saying " I would know what to do." 

Of course she would. But nobody teached me a shit.

There wasn't many people. A woman with a long coat walked past me, a man was about to past me but i said " Excuse me? Can you tell me which year we are at?" 

The woman pretend not to hear and walked faster, the man murmured "What a shamelessness". 

I sighed. The information probably would be useless anyway. It didn't matter if I was at 1889 or 1923. 

At least I knew where I am at. It was easy to just walk to home.

I had to do something.

I turned around and began to walk. The street looked calm and peaceful. The houses looked similar with the houses in my time. Well, I was seeing so many details I have never seen but maybe I didn't look at them well enough. My eyes otomaticly searched the house with the number 18 but nobody was there.

I stopped.

Our house looked exactly the same. The light was on in the first floor. 

_"I would know what to do."_

Okay, what would Charlotte do? God, it's so cold. What would Charlotte do not to freeze? Where would she go? Home?

I looked up at the first floor's window. Maybe my grandfather was alive at the moment. Maybe he would recognize me. He always played with me when I was little...Uh, nonsense.

Maybe he was alive but it was impossible that he would recognize me.

My coat didn't keep me warm anymore. Okay, I am gonna knock the door, and ask to sleep here for the night. 

How am I suppose to do that?

"Hi, I am Frank, you are most probably my grandfather Lord Montrose." 

I can't expect them to believe me. They would lock me in a mental hospital. In this era mental hospitals were not good places to live at all. Once you get in there, you won't get out, ever.

But at the same time I didn't have a choice. What if Jack The Ripper caught me? Oh fuck! What years he was around? And where? Please not here!

If I can talk one of may ancestors, I have to convince them somehow. Maybe I can say talk about Fatty Annie. How can a random stranger know that, right?

"Hi, I am Frank, I came from the future. I can show you this zip as a proof. I bet it hasn't been invented yet, am I right? Like TV and fridge..."

I could at least try. I take a deep breath and walk to the door.

Stairs were weirdly familiar and not familiar at all. I subconsciously tried to rign the door bell. It wasn't invented yet, of course. That didn't give me a clue about what year I can be in. Was it before or after the steamships? Did we learn that in school? I didn't remember a thing.

There was a handle that attached to a chain like Pete's old fashioned siphon. I pulled and heard a bell sound. Oh god.

 Probably one of the maids will open the door. What do i have to say to maid to let me see my relatives? Is uncle Hugh alive? Maybe he is already dead. Or maybe he never existed. I am just gonna ask about him. And Fatty Annie...

I heard foot steps and tried to relax. I couldn't see who opened the door because my vision blurred again.

I found myself in front of the our house on the doormat. I stood up and looked around. The Shadow Man looked where I stand.

"Of course you are the only one who is not suprised." I mumbled.

How much time have past? Did the Shadow Man see my reappearance? He probably couldn't believe. Now he can understand how it feels to see a misterious thing.

I ring the door bell like crazy. Mr. Bernhard opened the door.

"Are you in hurry?" he asked.

"You aren't apperantly." I said.

Mr. Bernhard raised his eyebrows.

"Sorry, I forgot something." I rushed to the stairs.

Aunt Maddy was suprised to see me. "I thoughed you were gone already, my angel. But it's better you are here.I forgot to tell you they also sell sugarless lemon candies. Do not buy them. They make me sick." 

"Aunt Maddy, why everybody so sure about Charlotte is carring the Gene?"

"Because...Couldn't you ask me an easier question?"

"Did they check her blood? Can another person have the gene?"

"Charlotte is definitely the Gene Carrier."

"Is it in her DNA?"

"My angel, you are asking these questions to wrong person. I always failed in biology classes. I don't even recall what DNA exactly is. I know it's more about math than biology. Unfortunately I also was bad at math. Charlotte was born in the right century and right birth date."

"So the person's birthday determines if the person the Gene Carrier or not." I bit my lips. Charlotte was born in October 7th. I was born in October 8th. Just a day after.

"It's more like the opposite. The gene determines the Gene Carrier's birthday."

"What if they calculated it wrong?

Just a day! It is that simple. They made a mistake. I was carring the goddamn gene, not Charlotte. Or both of us are carring the Gene... I sat down to the couch.

Aunt Maddy shook her head."They didn't calculate wrong. It's their speciality to calculate things."

Who are  _they_ anyway?

"Everybody can make a mistake."

Aunt Maddy laughed. "Not Isaac Newton, I'm afraid."

"Did  _Newton_ calculated Charlotte's birthday?!"

"My dear, I understand you are curious. I was like you when I was young. Firstly, sometimes it's better not to know everything.  Secondly, I really want my lemon candies."

"That whole thing doesn't make any sense."

"It sure can seem that way." She took my hand in hers. "Now, don't tell anyone anything about what we just talked. It's between you and me. If your grandmother finds out you know these things, she would be very angry. You know how terrifying she can be when she's angry. I mean more terrifying than her normal attitue."

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone." I am gonna go and buy your candies now."

"You are a good kid."

"Okay last question, how much time the Gene Carrier have between first and second jump?"

Aunt Maddy sighed.

"Please!" I said.

"I don't think there is a guideline for that. It probably changes Carrier to Carrier. I know that non of the Carrier's jump on their own will. It's uncontrollable. Sometimes happens multiple times in a day. That's why chronograph is so important. If I understood right, Charlotte can jump undercontrol with using the chronograph. She jumps to choosen dates without any danger. So don't worry about her."

To be honest, I was worried about myself.

I hold my breath "How far can she travel back in time? Like can she go to the stone age?"

"Okay, enough talking Frank. I really don't have all the answers honey!" she said.

I stood up. "Thanks anyway, you helped a lot."

"I really don't think so. I kinda regret it. I shouldn't encourage you. Actually I shouldn't have had these information either. Your grandfather always said the same thing when I asked him questions. It's better to know nothing for the mental health.  Now, where is my candies, not the sugarless ones don't forget!" 

How it was bad for mental health? How much my grandfather did know about these?

 Pete was shocked "Isaac Newton? Isn't his deal was gravity and shit?"

"Yeah, apperantly he was also busy with calculating Charlotte's birthday." I was at the local market, holding my phone while walking. "Nobody believes he would have made a mistake. Well, I mean I kinda get it, he's Newton! But he have to be wrong, Pete. I was born a day after Charlotte and I did fucking time travelled, not her."

"It's indeed a misterious situation m'lady. Goddamn it, that's piece of shit takes forever to open up. You stupid thing!" Pete was fighting with his computer again.

I sighed. "Pete that's just...uh so weird! I almost talked with my great grand relatives! Maybe with uncle Hugh. What if I did went that time, they could have locked me in a mental hospital or something."

"Fuck know what could have happened. I still can't believe it! After all this years, all of that drama, not Charlotte but you! You should tell your mom. Go home, immediately! You could jump again, even now!"

"Pretty fucking scarry, right?"

"Duh. Okay, I'm gonna google Newton now. And you'll go home! Do you n know how much time past since you left the house? Where are you exactly? You could jump and fall 12 metres down!"

"My grandmother is gonna freak the fuck out." I said.

"Yeah, poor Charlotte... I mean imagine, she had to sacrifice her life for this, and now she has nothing. Okay, I found Newton. He was born in 1643, Woolstrhorpe...What? Anway.... He had died in 1727, London. Blah, blah... There is nothing about time travelling, but a lot of thing about math I've never heard of. Do you know anything about him?"

"Nope." There was a couple fighting about what kind of yogurt to get.

"Are you still at the market, go home!" he yelled.

"Okay, okay. I am going." I began to walk to the exit with a lemon candies in my hand. "But Pete, I can't tell anyone. They already think I'm crazy."

Pete litarelly spit on the phone with rage "Frankie! Maybe in a different life, in a different family you could have considered as a crazy person but not in your own family honey, na-ah! You guys talk about time travelling, chronometers and mistery classes!"

"It's chronograph. It activates with blood. Kinda gross, right?"

"Chrono...graph! I am googling it."

I was walking along the street. "Aunt Glenda is gonna say I claim I jumped in time because I am a attention whore and jealousing Charlotte."

"So what? They will see when you jump again."

"What if I never jump again?" 

"You don't even what you are saying right now. By the way, apperantly chronograph is an old type of clock. You can buy it on eBay...Crap, I am gonna search Isaac Newton, time travelling with a chronograph and blood."

"...So?"

"Pff, nothing." Pete sighed. "Sorry I didn't search this before. I am looking for time travelling related books now. My stupid library card will be suprisingly useful for the first time. Where are you right now?"

I giggled "Are you afraid that I'm gonna disappear suddenly or something? By the way I still don't know what I was supposed to do with that stupid chalk."

"Maybe to send that other time traveller after Charlotte. What's his name again?"

"Gerard de Way."

"Hot name. I am googling that too, suprisee! Gerard de Way. How you spell that?"

"How should I know? Okay, back to the chalk talk...How can they send him after her? Charlotte could be anywhere. No, it doesn't make any sense."

I almost droped my phone when Pete screamed."Gerard de Way! I found one!"

"Yeah?"

"Oh yeah, It says 'The Greenwich Boarding School won this years polo competition' and there is a photo and names but I don't know which one of them his. He was the team captain, though. So there is that... Where are you right now Frankie?"

"I'm still walking. The discription fits him, I think. His school, polo... Is there a thing about him disappearing while he was riding a horse?"

"Oh, I just saw the article was written 3 years ago... He must have finished studying in that school. Are you feeling dizzy again?"

"I don't fell dizzy."

"Where are you right now?"

"Pete! I am still walking and I am trying to be fast."

"Okay, call me when you're home and talk with your mom asap."

I look at my watch. "She's still at work."

"Well, talk with her when she's home. She will know what to do. Frankie? Are you still there? Did you understand me?"

"Yes, I understood. Pete?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm so glad you are my friend. You're the best."

"Well, you are a good friend too. Especially when we consider you can bring me old things when you travel in time. I mean, who has a friend like that? Plus if we will have those stupid history exams in the future, you can travel that time and learn it for us."

"What would I do without you..." 

"For real though, can you bring me something from past?" Pete asked.

"I don't know, I really don't have any idea. I try to bring something next time. I'll be at home in 5 minutes, by the way."

"Good... I couldn't find any other thing about Gerard de Way. But there are shit ton of things about The De Way Bank and The De Way Law Firm."

"Yeah, I'm not suprised."

"Dizzy?"

"No, but thanks for asking Peter."

Pete coughed. "I know you are scared but this whole thing sounds amazing to me. A true adventure Frankie and you are in the middle of it!"

Yeap. Right in the middle of it. 

 

 

Pete was right. There is no reasons to my mom not to believe me. She always believed my "ghost stories". I always run to her when I was scared of something.

When we moved in this house, there was a gargoyle on the top of a cathedral and it followed me for months. It name was Asreal and it was like a human, cat and eagle hybrid. When it realized I can see it, it was delited. It talked too much and kept following me everywhere. It even tried to sleep in my bed with me. When my fear of it was gone, we became good friends. Sadly, it couldn't came with me when we moved. I still miss Asreal.

If my mom believed Asreal's existence, she could believe that I travelled in time. I waited for the right time to talk to her, but the right time never came. When she came home, she and Caroline started to argue about taking her classroom pet to home. The pet was a chameleon named Mr. Bean.

 

"You can't bring Mr. Bean to our house Caroline! Your grandmother had forbidden that. And your aunt has allergies."

"Mr. Bean has no feather, she can't be allergic to him!" said Caroline, "Plus, his gonna be sitting in his terrarium. He can't harm anyone while sitting in there."

"He would irritade your grandma!"

"Then grandma is stupid!"

"Caroline...just, no! Nobody knows how to take care of a chameleon in this house. What if we accidently do something wrong, he could die because of that!"

"No, he won't. I know how to take care of him, pleaaasee mom! If i don't bring him Tess will and then she will act like she is the Mr. Bean's favorite!"

"I said no Caroline!"

Even though my mom went to take a shower, they still were fighting. Caroline just stood at the bathroom door and yelled "Lady Arista doesn't have to know! We can just hide him from her. She never comes to my room anyway!"

"Can you leave me alone, I'm taking a shower Caroline!"

"No, I can't leave you alone!" She can be really annoying sometimes. 

Finally my mom said yes, Mr. Bean can come to our home.

 

When they were fighting, I was trying to clean the gum out of Nick's hair. He didn't even now how that gum stuck to his hair. 

"How the hell you didn't realize..." I said "Sorry but I have to cut your hair at some places."

"It's okay" he said " In fact you can cut all of the hair o my head, Lady Arista keeps telling me I look like a girl."

"Lady Arista just old fashioned. You have really nice curls, it would be a shame if I cut all of it."

"My hair will grow anyway, cut it all."

"I can't cut your hair with a nail scissors, you have to go to a hair salon."

"You can do it." he said with a voice full of trust. He probably forgot how I cut his hair to make my self a wig when we were little. He looked like a vulture.

"Do not!" my mom said while entering the room. He quickly take the nail scissors out to make sure I didn't attempt to do anything. "If your hair needs a cut, a hairdresser will do that for you. Now, let's go downstairs. It's dinner time."

Nick just groan.

"Don't worry, Lady Arista is not home." I smirked. "No one can say a word about the gum in your hair or stain on your shirt."

"What stain?" Nick looked at his shirt. "Oh for god's sake! It's probably pomegranate juice, i didn't even realize it." He looked paniced.

"Don't worry, like I said no one is gonna judge you tonight."

"But it's not wednesday?" Nİck said.

"Well, they are gone. I don't know why."

"Perfect!"

It was a nightmare to eat dinner with Lady Arista, Charlotte and aunt Glenda. Lady Arista would criticize Caroline's and Nİck's (sometimes grandaunt Maddy's) behaviours, aunt Glenda would keep asking about my grades to compare me with Charlotte and when you asked something to Charlotte she would say "None of your business".

And, again, Lady Arista had forbidden to eat dinner to our rooms, everybody has to sit dinner table at the exact time. It was only okay when you have a contagious disease.

 

Every wednesday they would go to Charlotte's secret lessons. Today was monday. Everybody eas in a good mood at the table. 

"Do you like chameleons aunty Maddy Do you want to pet one?" said Caroline.

"Well...I guess. Why not! Wow, I just realized that I always want to pet a chameleon. Always!"

Caroline beamed at her. "Maybe your wish will come true very soon!"

"Do you know anything about Lady Arista and Glenda?" my mom asked.

"Your mother just said they will not attend tonight's dinner. She apologized for that, hope you don't mind."

"Oh, we do not mind at all" Nİck said while giggling.

"What about Charlotte? Did she..." my mom asked.

"Nothing happened yet." aunt Maddy just shrugged. "They are waiting to happen. Poor little one, she's constantly dizzzy and know she has headaches..."

"Yeah, poor girl..."my mom said, looking thoughtful.

"What if Charlotte never time travels?" I asked.

Nick coppied Lady Arista's accent and said "It will happen sooner or later!"

Everybody laughed except me and my mom.

"But what if it doesn't? What if they made a mistake and Charlotte has not the gene?"

Now Nick did an impression of aunt Glenda "It was even clear when Charlotte was born that she will have a great purpose in life. You can compare my Charlotte with your ordinary kids."

Everybody laughed except my mom this time. "What makes you think that, Frankie?" she asked.

"I...I'm just wondering..."

"I told you, they made no mistake. There is no exception." said aunt Maddy.

"Yeah, Isaac Newton was a genius. He can't make mistakes, I know... Why did he even calculate Charlotte's birthday anyway?"

"Aunt Maddy!" my mom yelled.

Aunt Maddy didn't even flinch. "She was constantly asking, I couldn't take it anymore! She's just like you ehrn you were kid I mean. And she promised me to keep her mouth shut."

"I'm not gonna say anything to Lady Arista." I said. "Did Newton create the chronograph?"

"You... I'm not gonna say anything to you anymore..." said aunt Maddy.

"What is chronograph?" Nick asked.

"It is a some sort of time machine that sends Charlotte to past. It uses Charlotte's blood as a fuel."

"Scandalous" Nick said while Caroline yelled "Ugh, blood!"

"Can Charlotte travel to the future with it?" Nick asked.

"Uhh, do you see what you did aunt Maddy?" my mom said.

"They are your children Linda." said aunt Maddy, smiling. "It's normal, they are curious."

"Yeah, well." my mom said while looking at us. "You will not ask questions to your granma about this topic, okay?

"Apperantly she is the only one that knows everything..."

"But she can not tell you anything."

"How much do you know, mom?"

"Too much..." she said, smiling."And you can't travel to the future Nick because future does not exist at the moment."

"Wha?" said Nick. "What kind of logic is that!?"

Somebody knock the door and Mr. Bernhard entered the room with a phone. If Pete saw that Mr. Bernhard carries the phone on a silver tray, he would just loose it. Sometimes Mr. Bernhard really overdo things.

"Somebody wants to speak with Miss Linda." he said.

She took the phone and Mr. Bernhard went to open the door. 

"Uh, yes mom..."

Aunt Maddy winked at us. "Your grandma can read your minds! She sensed that we talk about secret topics. Uh, I should have leave a place for the pie in my stomach..."

"Can Charlotte bring me a baby dinosor?" asked Caroline.

Aunt Maddy shooke her head  "You can travel with animals or people that doesn't carry the gene. And you can travel that years."

"Ohh..." Caroline said, her face fell.

"I think it's better this way. Can you imagine somebody taking Hitler to the our time!" I said.

My mom finished the phone call. "They are gonna spend the night there. To be cautious."

"There? Where?" Nİck asked.

My mom didn't answer him. "Aunt Maddy...are you okay?"

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

*******

 

**Twelve columns carries the times key with them.**

**Twelve animals rule this kingdom.**

**The eagle is ready to rise.**

**Five is the key and the prenciple.**

**The twelve's circle has two of them.**

**The eagle quitely enters at the seventh but it's actually the third.**

 

 

_Count Saint German's Secret Documents_

 

 

*******

 

 

 

 

Grand aunt Maddy was sitting on her chair strangely upright, just staring and she had a firm grasp on the arm of the chair. Her whole face went white.

"Aunt Maddy? Mom, is she having a stroke? Aunt Maddy! Can you hear me!? Aunt Maddy!" I wanted to hold her hand but my mom stopped me.

"Don't! Don't touch her."

Caroline started to cry.

"What is wrong with her?!" yelled Nick "Is something stuck in her throat?"

"We should call an ambulance." I said "Moom, do something!"

"She is okay. She's just seeing a vision." said my mom "It will be finish soon..."

"Are you sure?" Aunt Maddy's eyes were so fucking scarry. Her puppils dilated and she didn't even blink.

"It's suddenly cold here." said Nick "Do you feel that too?"

Caroline just groan "Somebody stop this!"

I did feel cold.

"Lucy!" somebody yelled. Everyone jumped with horror then realized that Aunt Maddy was talking. I loked around, no ghosts were here.

"Lucy, oh my dear. She's taking me near this tree... Ah, where did she go, I can't see her... There is something right in front of the tree, it's huge... Oh, it is a sleek ruby. It has the shape of an egg. A rubby egg! So beautiful... It started to break! Something inside of the egg... ıt's a little bird... A crow! It's flying to the tree!" Aunt Maddy laughed but her eyes were still frozen. 

 "Oh, it's windy here... No, it's a storm. Everything's spinning... I'm flying. I'm flying with the crow to the stars. A tower... It has a huge clock on it. Somebody is sitting on the roof, dangling her feet down. Get out of the roof, you fool!" Suddenly her voice sounded like she's really sceared. She start to yell. "The storm is gonna push her out of the roof, it's too high up there! What are you doing there! A shadow! A bird is flying in circles in the sky. Look, the bird's flying to the girl! Frankie! Frankie!"

I couldn't stand this anymore. I walked in front of aunt Maddy and shook her shoulders. "I2m right here aunt Maddy! Come on, lokk at me!"

Aunt Maddy did look at me. Her face was looking slightly better. "Oh my little angel..." she said "It was very inconsiderate of you to be on that roof!"

"Are you okay now?" I looked at my mom. "You sure something bad didn't happen?" I said.

"It was a vision." she said "She is okay."

"No, I'm not. It was a bad vision." aunt Maddy said "Well, it started beautiful..."

Caroline stopped crying. She and Nick were looking at aunt Maddy like she is a stranger.

"That was horrifying." said Nick "It was really cold in here."

"You're making this up." I said.

"No, I am not!" he said.

"I felt cold too." said Caroline.

Aunt Maddy hold my mom's hand "I was with your cousin Lucy, Linda. She looked just the same. Her sweet smile..."

My mom looked like she's about to cry.

"I didn't understand the rest of the vision again..."A ruby egg, a crow, Frankie sitting on the roof of a tower that has a huge clock on it and that bad bird... Does any of this making sense to you?"

My mom sighed. "No. I don't know... They are your visions aunt Maddy..." She sat the nearest chair.

"Yes, but they still don't make any sense to me. Did you write them down, we have to tell your mother about this."

"No, aunt Maddy. I didn't..."

"Oh, we should then. Okay, there was Lucy, then the tree. Red grapes... A rowan maybe... Then the ruby egg... God, I'm hungry! I hope you didn't start to eat dessert without me. I deserve at least 2 servings of them!"

 

 

 

 "Okay, it was really scarry what just happened." I said. Caroline and Nick were already asleep. I was sitting on my mom's bed, trying to find a clever way to tell her what's bugging me. _Mom something happened today and I'm afraid that it's gonna happen again._

My mom was busy with her night time beauty routine. She was almost done. Taking your skin care seriously was really beneficial. You couldn't see a single wrinkle on her face, even though she was in her forties.

"For the first time I witnessed aunt Maddy's visions." I said.

"Well, that was the first time she had a vision during dinner time." my mom said while applying her hand cream. She always said the places that shows you are in fact old are hands and neck.

"The visions... should we take them serious?"

She just shrugged. "Well. You heard how complicated they sound. For some reason there is always an explanation for them. She had a vision three days before your grandpa died. She talked about a black panther jumping on his chest."

"His cause of death was a hearth attack... It kinda fits."

"Yeah, like I said... Do you want some hand cream?"

"Do you believe that? Not hand cream, I mean the visions."

"I believe that aunt Maddy sees them, but they are not necessarily about future or someting."

"I don't understand that!" I said shaking my hands in the air with frustration. My mom grab them and put hand cream on them.

"It's like you and your ghosts. I believe that aunt Maddy sees visions like you see ghosts."

"So you say you believe that I see ghosts but you don't believe ghosts are really exist!" I said angrily and pulled my hands out of hers.

"I do not know if they are real. It doesn't matter what I believe." she said.

"If they are not exist, that means I'm making them up. So I'm crazy now, great."

"No! It's just... Uhh, I don't know! Sometimes it feels like everyone in this has a huge imagination. If we limit that imagination with  _normal_ people's standards, we would be much more in peace."

"I understand..." I said. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to tell her about what happened to me.  _Hey mom, we travelled in time in this afternoon, I mean me and my normal imagination._

"Please don't be mad at me." she said. "There are a lot of things we can't explain in this world. The more we think about them, the more they become a burden. No, I don't think you are crazy. I don't think aunt Maddy is crazy. But be a little more realistic. Do you really believe that aunt Maddy's vision was about your future?"

"Maybe?"

"Oh, really? So you are planning to climb to a top of a building, I see..." she said sarcastically. 

"Of course I am not planning something like that, but maybe it is a symbolic thing."

"Yeah, maybe." she said "Or maybe not. Let's sleep now. It was a long day." She looked at the clock. "Hope Charlotte is okay. God, I want her to successfully travel so much..."

"Maybe Charlotte is the one with a huge imagination?" I said while standing up. I kissed my mom's cheek.

I am gonna try to talk to her tomorrrow.

Maybe.

"Good night."

"Good night, sweetie. Love you."

"Love you too mom."

 

 

 

 

I felt so shitty. I know I should have talked to her, but the things she told me are made me think. Of course I had a pretty big imagination but how the hell you can imagine to travel in time without your own control... People who say things like that are in mental hospitals. Maybe I was like them... I wrapped my blanket around myself. Which one is the worse being crazy or ability to travel in time?

My fear was back. I tried to think different things but it was not working. I start to counting backwards from 1000.

I must have been sleeping because I woke up with a really loudly beating heart. I had a nightmare, about a huge bird.

My stomach turned again, I knew this feeling. I panicked and jumped out of my bed. I ran to my mom's bedroom. I don't care she thinks I'm crazy or not, I just want this to stop. I don't wanna fall down from this height into a swap!

I was end of the corridor but I felt dizzy. I closed my eyes thinking 'this is it, I'm gonna die.'. But insted of that I fell on to my knees sorely. The floor felt the same. I carefully opened my eyes. It looked like sun rising. For a moment I thought nothing is changed, then I looked around and everything was different. The walls were coloured olive green and there was no lamp.

I heard noises from Nick's bedroom. Women are talking...

I quickly stood up. If somebody sees me... How am I suppose to explain.... God, I have my Star Wars pyjamas on!

"I am tired of waking up this early al the time." said a woman "Walter can sleep 'till 9! But we! I wish I had stayed at farm and kept milking the cows..."

"Walter works until the midnight, Clarisse. Your bonnet looks loose." said the second woman "Gather your hair properly, you don't want to anger Mrs. Mason."

"All Mrs. Mason do is getting angry people." grumbled first woman.

"There certainly are more strict butlers aroun, dear Clarisse. Hurry now, we'll be late. It's been 15 minutes Mary went down stairs."

"Yes, she even made her bed. Always hardworking, always clean. Just like Mrs. Mason wants. I swear she does it on purpose. Did you touched her blanket? It's so soft! That's not fair!"

I should hide somewhere...Luckily I know this home like back of my hand.

"My blanket is horrribly itchy!" said Clarisse.

"You will be happy with it when winters come. We shall go."

The door handle's moved. I jumped and hide in the walk-in closet.

"I just don't understand why Mary has a soft one when mine is itchy. There is no justice in this place. Betty can go with Lady Montrose to the farm but we have to stay in this place whole summer."

"You should complain less, Clarisse."

I agreed. She was noisy.

I heard they walking down stair, I took a deep breath. I was lucky I was able to hide here. I probably should wait here until travel back to my time. It was the safest way. I sighed and fold my arms.

Suddenly somebody moaned in the darkness. I froze. What the fuck was that?!

"Clarisse, is that you?" The voice came from the shelf above me. A man. "I over slept I guess..."

Fucking hell! Somebody was sleeping in the closet! 

"Clarisse? Mary? Who's there?" he asked. He sounded more awake now. A hand touched my back. I was not gonna sit here and wait him to catch me. I trew myself out of the closet.

"Hey, stop! Now!"

I looked back over my shoulder quickly and saw a young man with a long blouse running after me.

I ran to the stairs. Shit, where am I gonna hide?

"Stop the thief!"

Thief?! What am I suppose to steal, a bonnet?

While moving in the speed of light, I past through the uncle Hugh's portrait with frustration. The secret door behind that portrait would be a good option now, if it worked without getting stucked. I have to find a better hiding place.

When I step on the first floor, I almost run in to a girl with a tray in her hand. She screamed like she was dying and dropped the tray, just like what happens in the movies.

I hoped the man behind me would trip over the tray and fall like in the movies but he just struggled couple of minutes. I took this chance to run to the living room and pushed the little hidden door under the orchestra balcony's stairs. It was covered in dust and spider webs, so nothing new. I fit my body in there and closed the door.

"It must be thief! I've never seen her before."

Then I heard another voices "She run to the down stairs. Maybe there are some other people."

"There is nothing I can do, Mrs. Mason. She just flew away! Her intentions were probably steal the Lady's jewelery."

"I didn't see anybody on the stairs. She must be in the house.  Lock the doors and search for the girl." It was a woman. "And Walter, go and wear your day clothes. It is not appropriate to stand like that."

Great! I used to hide here often when I was a child, but never scared this much. I silently crawled to the corner. I almost screamed because of the huge spider climbing my arm. I forced myself to refuse its existence.

"Don't forget to look attic and compartments under the stairs. Even behind the curtains!"

Oh, so this how it ends. I am a dead person now.

God dammit, this whole thing was surreal!

I just sat there, covered in dust, with a giant spider and a... is that a mounted crocodile!? This whole thing was Issac Newton's fault!

This was so overwhelming. I started to cry without realizing. Maybe they would pity me when they found me. I was hearing every step they took.

Then my stomach turned. I've never felt so relieved before. The crocodile disappered in front of my eyes, everything looked blurry. 

Everything stopped. It was still dark.

I take a deep breath. There is no need to panic. 

Something touched my face. Okay, I'm definitely panicing now! I shake my whole body, hands in the air. I accidentely bump into something and something dropped. I calmed myself and opened the door, crawled.

A flashlight's lighten up my face. I opened my mouth to scream but no noise come out.

"Did you looking for something, Mrs. Frankie?" Oh, it was Mr. Bernhard. "I can help you if you tell me what you're looking for."

"I... just..." I was breathing heavely "What are you doing here?"

"I heard a sound." he said. "You look a little....dusty."

"Yeah..." Dusty and exhausted. I tried to wipe away my tears quickly.

He studied me carefully with his stubborn eyes. Well it wasn't forbidden to hide somewhere at night. It wasn't Mr. Bernhard business anyway.

Did he sleep with his glasses on?

"There is two hours until your waking up time." he said "I suggest you to sleep in the meantime. I am going to rest a little too. Good night."

"Good night, Mr. Bernhard."

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

***

 

 

 _Guard's Journal_ **  
**

_12 June 1851_

**Lord Horatio Montrose's (Inner Circle) housed has been searched but nobody could find the thief girl.**

**She probably jump out of one of the windows.**

**Butler Mrs.**

**Mason made a list of things that can be stolen.**

**A silver tray and the necklace that was given to Lord Montrose's mother by the Duke of Wellngton are on that list.**

 

**Lady Montrose is resting in the farm house.**

 

_Report: David Loyde, 2. Degree Master_

 

 

*******

 

 

 

 

"You look like shit." said Pete while sitting next to me at the schoolyard.

"Well, I feel like shit."

He caressed my arm. "Some how dark circles under your eyes gives you a good look though." he said "Makes your eye colour pop."

I couldn't help but laugh. He was a good friend.

We were sitting under a tree, on a bench. We were whispering becasu right behind us Cynthia Dale and her friends were sitting. Near to them Gordon 'Creakily' Gelderman was talking with his friends about football. I don't want them to hear us. They already finds me weird.

"Aw Frankie, you should have talked with your mother."

"You say the same thing for 2 hours."

"Yes, I do because it is what you should have done. I really don't understand why you didn't."

"Cause I... Okay I don't understand myself either. I, for some reason, hoped it wouldn't happen again."

"Even just the advanture you experienced  tonight is... God, imagine what other things could happen to you. Think about aunt Maddy's vision, it literally screams that you are in danger. The clock represents time travel, the tower is the danger and the bird... You shouldn't wake her and stop her vision! She could given you more detail. I'm gonna search everything when I go home. Crow, ruby, tower, rowan... I found a website about supernatural phenomenons, it's pretty informative. And I collect all the books about time travelling. And a movie. And all of the Back to the Future movies. Maybe we can find something, who knows..."

I missed snuggling to the couch and watching movies with Pete. Sometimes we would mute the sound and do a voiceover, make up new lines for the movie.

"Are you feeling dizzy?"

I shook my head. I can relate how Charlotte felt now. These kind of questions were annoying. And not knowing when you jump in time.

"I wish you could tell when it will happen." said Pete. "It really doesn't fear that Charlotte learned all the things and how to cope it."

 "Honestly, I don't know what would happen if the man that was sleeping in the closet chased Charlotte instead of me. Knowing how to dance or use a sword wouldn't help that much i think." It was funny to imagine Charlotte in a situation like that. Maybe she could use the swords that hanging on the living room wall as a decor.

"No, you dumbdumb. Nothing would happen to her 'cause she suppose to travel another place using that chornograph thingy. A place which is beautiful and peaceful! And you still refuse to tell your family that they trained the wrong person for years! 'Cause it is more fun to risk your life!"

"Maybe Charlotte did jump in time, too."

Pete just sighed and start to use the papers in his hand as a fan. He collect bunch of useful information for me and put them in a huge as file folder. For example he printed out all of the antique/vintage cars and write the years that they were made. According to these photos, the car that I saw when I traveled for the first time was made in 1906.

 "Okay, Jack the Ripper commited his murders in East End, 1888. Nobody knew who he really was. If you happen to travel that exact time, assume every men as a potential murderer. Big London Fire was in 1666. Plague a.k.a. Black Death was there, killing people almost every year but it was way much worse in 1348, 1528 and 1664 apparently...World War 2 bombartments were started in 1940, London was complitely wreckage. You should learn if your house was damaged too or not..."

"These all sound extremely dangerous." I said.

"Yeah, I always imagined time traveling as a romantic thing. Like, Charlotte and Mr. Darcy are dancing in a ball, or she's falling in love with a sexy scottish or she would talk with Anne Boleyn and convince her not to marry with VIII. Henry..." 

"Was Anne Boleyn the girl who got executed?"

Pete nod. "There was an awsome movie about it, with Natalie Portman in it. I think I can find it and we'll watch it... Frankie, pleasepleaseplease promise me you will talk with your mother. Tonight."

"I promise. Tonight."

"Hey, where is Charlotte?" said Cyntia Dale, sticking his head behind the tree "I was gonna copy her essay about Shakespeare. I mean, was gonna take a look..."

"Charlotte is sick." I said.

"What kind of sick?"

"Uhm..."

"She has diarrhea." Pete said. "A horrible one. She can't even leave the bathroom for a second."

"Eww, TMI!" said Cyntia "Can I look at your essay?"

"We didn't finish yet. We are gonna watch Shakespeare in Love first."

Gordon Gelderman jump to near us and said "You can look at my essay. I basically copy-paste Wikipedia."

"Then I can easily look at Wikipedia, Gordon." Cyntia said.

The bell rang and the break was over.

"Uhh, english for 2 hours" Gordon groaned "That's basically torture to everyone. Well, except Cyntia. She literally want to eat his oh so handsome prince charming."

"Shut up, Gordon."

But it is a fact that known by everyone, Gordon never shuts up.

"Why do you find Mr. Saporta so hot? He's so gay."

"Nonsense!" said Cyntia with rage.

"Oh he is the Homo Lord!"

Pete rolled his eyes. "Come on, let's go to see the Prince Squirrel."

We were behind Cyntia and Gordon when we reached to second floor. They still were talking about Mr. Saporta.

"It is so obvious! He is wearing a seal ring!" said Gordon.

I really did not care what they were fighting about but I couldn't help to say "My grandpa use to wear a ring like that."

"Well then your grandpa was a homo too!"

"You are just jealous." said Cyntia.

"Jealous?! Jealousing that softy!"

"Of course you are. Because Mr. Saporta is the most gorgeous and smartest man in here. You look like a little, skinny and stupid child compare to him." 

"Why, thank you for your compliments." said Mr. Saporta. He suddenly was behind us with bunch of paper on his arm, looking charming as usual, even though he really kind of looked like a squirrel, a bit.

Cyntia looked like a tomato. I was truly sorry for her.

Gordon just grined like an idiot.

"And you, dear Gordon, maybe you should do a research about seal rings and the people who wears them. I want an essay about that topic from you for next week." Mr. Saporta said.

Now it's time for Gordon to be a tomato. Unlike Cyntia, he still can talk. "For english or history?" he asked with a high pitch voice.

"I would much appreciate if you write in the chronological order but which lesson you'll bring it for is up to you. For next monday, at least five page, understood?" Mr. Saporta happly while opening the classroom door "Shall we?"

"I hate him." murmured Gordon while sitting down.

"I think the hate is mutual in this relationship." Pete said, patting Gordon's back.

"Please tell me this was just a dream..." said Cyntia.

 "It was just a dream" I said "Mr. Saporta did not hear you saying he is the sexiest man alive."

Cyntia just groaned and sat her chair "Somebody  _please_ kill me..."

Pete sat next to me and said "Poor thing, still looking like a tomato."

"I think she will be look like a tomato 'till end of the semester. God, it was pretty embarrassing" I said.

"Maybe Mr. Saporta will give her a higher grade in the next exam."

Mr. Sapota's face was worried when he saw Charlotte's chair.

"Mr. Saporta, Charlotte's is sick." I said "I don't know if my aunt informed the secretary about it..."

"She has diarrhea!" yelled Cyntia. She probably was trying to cover up her own embarrasment.

"The secretary has her sick report." said Mr. Saporta "She will not be with us for a couple of days. Until... everything become normal..." He suddenly turned his bak at the class and wrote  _Sonnet_ on to the board. "Does anybody know how many sonnets Shakespeare has?"

"What did he mean by  _becoming normal_ ?"I asked quietly Pete.

"I don't think he was talking about Charlotte's diarrhea..." he said.

I agreed.

"Did you see his seal ring up close?"

"No, did you" I asked.

"It has a star on it, a 12 pointed star!"

"...So?"

"12 point... just like a clock!" he said.

"Clocks have not points on it."

Pete rolled his eyes impatiently "Are you even trying to understand what I am saying? 12! A clock, time!  _Time travel!_ I swear to my mother's non-existent grave... Frankie?"

"I don't feel good..." Here comes that sinking feeling again. 

"Oh, crap!" said Pete, his eyes bulging out in fear.

The last thing I want right now to vanish in the middle of the class, so I just jump out of my chair and run to the door. "I'm gonna trow up" I said, not waiting to hear Mr. Saporta's reaction.

"I think somebody should be with her. Pete, go after her please." said Mr. Saporta.

In a second Pete was behind me. "Hurry, to the bathroom... Frankie? Frankie!"

Pete's face suddenly disappeared, his voie was muffled. 

Suddenly I was alone in a corridor that its walls covered with glorious golden coloured wallpaper. There was a chandelier with numerous candles on it, enlightening the corridor warm yellow colour.

My first thought was  _thank god I didn't fall on my face or something,_ second one was  _whereshould I hide?_

Because I was not alone in this building. The sound of music could be heard from downstairs.

A violin, to be exact. And a lot of people talking in the backround.

I tried to remember the second floor plan. There was my class behind me. In the room in front of me Mrs. Counter should be teaching geography to sixth grades, next to that class there is a storage room. I could hide there. Or not becasuse the storage room usually is locked. It would be impossible to explain what I was doing in there, let alone getting out of the room. Maybe I should just wait where I am right now. The previous ones took just couple of minutes, then I go back to my time. 

I just lean back to the brocade wall and wait to feel dizzy again. There were a lot of sounds. Some people laughing, glasses clinking and of course sound of violin. Well somebody's having fun. Maybe one of them is James. This building was his home at some point. I imagined him dancing to the sound of violin.

It was sad that I can see and talk with him. Well, I couldn't explain to him how I know him anyway but... If I knew how he died, maybe I could have warned him.  _Hey James, in 15th July at Park Lane a brick will hit your head. Don't leave your house that day._ But I didn't know when he died... Or when he will die. I don't know, this time travelling thing confuses me.

I heard footsteps coming from the stairs. Somebody was coming upstairs. No, two people, fucking hell! Couldn't leave me alone for a few minutes! Where I will go know?

I decided to go the sixth grades class. First I thoughed the door was locked, it took a while to understand the door opened when you push the handle up.

When I entered the room, the footsteps were closer. There were a lot of burning candle. Nobody was worried about setting the house on fire apperantly. 

I looked around to hide somewhere but there were just a couple of furniture. A desk, a golden coloured couch with crooked legs and a chair with a fluffy pillow but they weren't big enough to hide behind unless you are a mouse or something. My only choice to hide behind the long dore curtains. It wasn't an original place to hide but nobody was looking for me anyway... for now.

I heard people talking in the corridor.

"Where are you going?" said a man. He sounded pretty angry.

"It doesn't matter as long as I'm away from you!" answered another voice. A woman was talking. She was crying.

Aaand she entered this room, great. The man followed her. I could see their shadows.

"Leave me alone." she said.

"I cannot leave you alone." said the man "Whenever I leave you alone, you behave pretty impulsive."

"Get out!" she said.

"I will not do that. Look, I'm sorry, I shouldn't let that happen."

"But you did! Because you couldn't leave your eyes from  _her._ "

The man laughed quietly "You're jealous."

"Oh, you would love that, wouldn't you?"

Perfect, lovers fighting! It could continue forever. I'm gonna jump back in the middle of Mrs. Counter's class because of them. Maybe I can convince her that I was behind the curtain since the beggining of the class...

"The Count is gonna wonder where we are." he said.

"Your precious Count can send his Transylvanian soul mate to look for us. He isn't even a real Count. Even his title is fake, just like... what's his name... Mr. 'Rosey Cheeks'..." she sniffled angrily.

She sounded familiar. Very familiar. I carefully look behind the curtain. Both of them were in front of the door, I just can see side of their faces. The girl was wearing really feminine dress. It was a night blue, brocade and silk dress. Its skirt part was huge and puffy, like she could get stuck if she want to pass through the door. She had a huge funny white wig in a bun. The boy's hair was white too. It was tide in a  low pony tail with a ribbon. They both looked young. And beautiful, especially the boy. Well he looked like he was 18 or 19. He truly looked breathtaking. I couldn't not admire him. The curtain was bearly covered my head to not to be seen.

"You forgot their name again."  he said, chuckling.

"I did not!" she said.

"Count can't do a thing what Rakoczy did" he said with a serious voice "He will punish him, tough. Look, you don't have to love Count but you have to respect him."

The girl sniffled again with a scoff. It was making me crazy, I know this girl from somewhere, somehow...

"I do not _have to_  do anything" she said and turned her face to the curtain. And I just freezed.

That's impossible!

She was me! We looked each other with absolute fear in our eyes.

She un-freezed in a second and made a quick hand motion towards me.  _Hide!_

I forced myself to be quickly move. Who was she? Two person can't be look alike this much! I have to look at her once more.

"What was that?" the boy said.

"Nothing!" said the girl. Was that my voice?

"The window..."

"Nothing is there!"

"Somebody could be hiding behind the curtain, I should loo..." and the voice was muffled. Everything got quiet. I looked behind the curtain again. 

She was kissing him. The boy was stunned at first but then he put his hand to her back and pulled her towards himself. The girl closed her eyes.

I felt dizzy and weirdly happy. I was watching myself kissing a boy. And I am a pretty good kisser apparently... I understood that she kissed him to distract him. It was kind of her but why is she doing that? How am I supposed to get through the door without them seeing me?

And then the lovey dovey couple began to dissapear in front of my eyes. I found myself in the sixth grades class. 

Everything was quiet. Nobody was screaming or fainting. The only person in the room was me. 

I sighed, sat down on a chair and rest my head against on the desk. Too many things were happening at a time. The girl, the handsome boy, the kiss...

She did not just look like me, she really was  _me._

It wasn't a mistake, glich or something like that... She had the same birthmark that I have on my temple. The birthmark with a shape of a crescent a.k.a. the 'strange banana' like aunt Glenda called.

This much similarity is not normal.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, my computer crashed :(
> 
>  
> 
> Share and comment please.  
> #loveistimeless  
> #rubyred


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